SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Patriots ’ defense will have its hands full with a talented Seattle Seahawks offense in Super Bowl 60.
That’s why it’s a good thing that the unit will have all of its best players available in Sunday night’s championship game.
The Patriots entered this weekend with two starters questionable due to injury, but Mike Vrabel’s team will have leading tackle Robert Spillane and leading pass rusher Harold Landry for the Super Bowl. Both veteran starters are active for the biggest game of the season after dealing with lower-body injuries during this playoff run.
Landry finished the regular season with a team-high 8.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits. The starting edge rusher, however, dealt with a nagging knee injury for the second half of the season.
Landry averaged between 70-90% of the defensive snaps played this season. In the playoffs, he was limited, playing 26 snaps (43%) in the wild-card round and then 11 snaps (14.7%) in the AFC divisional round. Landry was then inactive for the Patriots ’ AFC Championship win in Denver .
Without Landry at full strength, the Patriots have relied on K’Lavon Chaisson (three sacks) and Anfernee Jennings (two sacks) at edge rusher this postseason.
This week, Landry said he suffered the initial knee injury in Week 6 and then was hit similarly in Week 12. The starter was limited in Wednesday and Friday’s practice while he missed Thursday’s session.
“We’ll see how the rest of the week goes, but right now I’m feeling good,” Landry said on Thursday. “I would anticipate (playing).”
Spillane led the defense with 97 tackles in 13 starts this season. He dealt with a foot and ankle injury at the end of the season. The veteran suffered the initial injury in Week 13. He missed the final four regular-season games before returning for the playoffs.
Spillane started all three playoff wins, but re-injured his ankle in the AFC Championship.
This week, the linebacker missed Wednesday’s session, but was limited on Thursday and Friday. He said there was never a doubt about his game availability.
“I’m still 100 percent confident,” Spillane said. “I’m going to continue to trust the people that take care of me and do everything I possibly can, day or night, and put it in God’s hands at this point. Continue to prepare as a starter and go out there (in) practice and put it on the line.”
Here are the inactives for Super Bowl 60:
Patriots
WR Efton Chism III
TE CJ Dippre
QB Tommy DeVito
OT Marcus Bryant
CB Kobee Minor
Seattle Seahawks
QB Jalen Milroe
FB Robby Ouzts
TE Nick Kallerup
DT Brandon Pili
LB Jared Ivey
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